


Setting Sun

by smilindesperado



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Action/Adventure, Adventure & Romance, F/M, Fire Nation Politics (Avatar), Minor Aang/Katara, Minor Sokka/Suki, Post-Canon, Sun Warriors (Avatar), minor one-sided Toph/ Sokka, post-comics
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-28
Updated: 2020-11-13
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:54:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 18,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26689246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smilindesperado/pseuds/smilindesperado
Summary: Before the Kyoshi Warriors finish their duties in the Fire Nation, they join Zuko for one more mission to the northern province of Huinan, where reports of escalating conflict between the Sun Warriors and the nearby villages are a cause of alarm for the young Fire Lord.  Suki and Ty Lee each bring along some friends to help out.Mai wonders how Ty Lee ropes her into these situations as she tries to survive Sun Warriors, suspicious businessmen, awkward ex boyfriends, and a nosy earthbender.  At least it’s certainly not boring.
Relationships: Mai/Zuko (Avatar), Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 64
Kudos: 92





	1. Where We Left Off

**Author's Note:**

> I guess I'm just going to keep writing Mai/Zuko get back together fics until either the they make it canon in upcoming comics or I get called back to work and tbh I don't know which one is happening first!
> 
> Anyway, I have a detailed outline finished and the first couple chapters written! Expect new chapters every Sunday, however if I end up getting this thing finished sooner than I anticipate I might do updates twice a week. I tried to keep the storytelling style/structure similar to the comic trilogies with this one - so here we go!

There was a stillness to the late Fire Nation summers that Zuko always enjoyed. He looked out among his kingdom and watched as the sun painted the sky orange in harmony with the red rooftops of the Capital City. The paper screens in the sitting parlour he currently occupied were drawn open, letting the warm breeze waft throughout the room. Zuko could almost hear the crickets chirping and the badgerfrogs croaking on the outskirts of the city.

As grateful as he was for this peace - a peace that he hadn’t enjoyed in the four years since he had become Fire Lord - the feeling was bittersweet.

Suki - leader of the Kyoshi Warriors, his royal guard, and personal friend - recently returned from her trip to Cranefish Town along with the request to pull her warriors from the Fire Lord’s service in order to help with the development of the up-and-coming city in the former colonies.

He was reluctant at first. When they had first arrived, the protection of the elite warriors was the only thing that helped him sleep at night. And with all of his friends galavanting around the world while his duties kept him glued in the Fire Nation, it was nice having someone who wasn’t a stuffy politician or begrudged military leader to talk with.

However, he knew Suki was right. Things have been quiet on the homefront and her warriors have already trained the next regiment of royal guard. Their service was needed elsewhere.

The young Fire Lord eventually resigned to enjoy the time he had left with their company - particularly since his friendship with Suki and Ty Lee had grown. He would often invite them for tea or a friendly game of Pai Sho as Suki would catch him up on Sokka’s whereabouts or Ty Lee blabbered on about gossip of their old classmates from their academy days.

He sighed, trying to enjoy the calm of the evening as he waited for Suki and Ty Lee to join him for tea. He heard the soft footsteps of someone quietly approaching and was a little surprised when he heard a hesitant throat clearing to announce their presence.

When he turned around to greet his guest, he was met with a Kyoshi Warrior who wasn’t Suki or Ty Lee.

“I hope I’m not intruding,” she announced timidly.

Zuko offered a friendly smile as she approached. “Oh - hi Yua. Not at all.”

The girl, Yua, had soft features - wide, friendly green eyes and she seemed to always sport a small smile under her button nose. Her thick, dark hair sat atop her head in a large bun. Zuko noted she was still in her guard uniform and paint, but he could still recognize her well enough.

He didn’t know Yua as well as Ty Lee and Suki, but he had gotten to know a lot of the warriors throughout their years of service. Yua was a bit more shy than the others at first, but she became friendly enough that Zuko had learned a little bit about her. She had a brother who had fought in the war, right outside of Ba Sing Se. Her mother was a baker and Yua wasn’t bad at it herself. She occasionally would bring in baked goods to share with the Fire Lord and his guests.

Yua approached the Fire Lord, and he noticed that she seemed more shy than usual.

“I just finished my last shift,” she explained. “I can’t believe I'm saying this, but I’m going to miss the Fire Nation.”

Zuko offered a small, friendly smile in response. He wasn’t sure why she wanted to tell him that, but it was nice to hear that she must have somewhat enjoyed her time in his service.

“I hope it’s not inappropriate…” Yua continued, looking down at her feet and pulling her hands together, twiddling her thumbs. “But I wanted to tell you this before I leave.”

Zuko tilted his head, trying to figure what she could possibly have to say that would make her this nervous. “Um...okay. Go ahead,” he said, since it appeared she wouldn’t confess until he gave her permission.

“I just -” she started, appearing to search for the right words. “I really admire you and everything you’re doing for the Fire Nation...and the world.” Zuko could have sworn he could see her ears turn red underneath her makeup. She lifted her head up and her eyes hesitantly met his as she continued. “I know it can’t be easy and a lot of people give you a hard time, but I think you’re amazing.”

Zuko blushed at the compliment and was unsure how to reply. “Oh - uh...thank you.” He scratched at the back of his head, searching for a less lame response. “I really should be thanking you. If you guys weren’t here, I probably wouldn’t have been able to get anything done.”

It must have been an okay response because Yua was able to look at him and her features softened as she began to relax. “Do you ever think you’ll visit Cranefish?” she asked.

“Yeah, I’m sure.” Zuko shrugged. “Aang is trying to do a lot of work over there now. I’m sure I’ll be visiting sooner rather than later to help out.

“Good!” she beamed. “I’ll make sure to make my mother’s moon cherry tarts. I know you always liked those.”

Zuko returned her smile. “I’m looking forward to it.”

Not knowing what else to say, he was grateful when Suki and Ty Lee walked into the parlour. 

Yua bowed to Zuko as she dismissed herself. Suki and Ty Lee smirked and shared a knowing look as Yua passed them.

“I see Yua was saying her goodbyes,” Suki teased once Yua had left the room. “I think she’s going to miss you, Zuko.”

Zuko shrugged sheepishly and blushed. “I don’t think it’s like that.”

“Are you kidding me?!” Ty Lee exclaimed. “She has, like, the biggest crush on you.”

At this, Zuko blanched. “What?!”

Suki observed the Fire Lord’s ignorance before tilting her head to address Ty Lee. “Has he always been this clueless?”

“Oh yeah,” Ty Lee giggled in between her words. “You should’ve seen him when we were kids. Azula even _told_ him Mai had a crush on him and he wouldn’t believe it even though Mai would blush like crazy around him.”

Zuko growled, frustrated, and threw his head into his hands as Suki and Ty Lee’s laughter grew louder.

“Aren’t you going to miss this?” Suki asked, good-naturedly.

Despite their teasing, Zuko was able to pull his head from his hands and crack a smile. “I really am,” he admitted. “Everyone’s been so busy, but at least I still had you guys around.” He sighed and slumped his shoulders. “I guess I’m going to be writing a lot more letters.”

Suki and Ty Lee’s laughter died down as they exchanged a look of concern for their friend.

Before they could respond, a messenger announced his presence with an important correspondence for the Fire Lord. Zuko grabbed the letter and thanked the servant before unrolling it. His eyes scanned over the document - a report from the Huinan Province in the Northern Isles.

Suki and Ty Lee observed the Fire Lord’s face as concern crept across his features. “What is it?” Suki asked, her curiosity getting the best of her.

“It’s from Huinan,” Zuko explained. “They’ve been dealing with vandalism to their factories for the past year, and now someone is destroying shipments of food and supplies coming into the towns.”

“Do you know who’s behind it?”

“That’s the problem,” Zuko shook his head. “Last week, one of their trucks was attacked by the group. Most of them got away, but they were able to catch one of them. He’s a _Sun Warrior.”_

“Sun Warrior?” Ty Lee asked, tilting her head in confusion. “I didn’t think there were anymore around.”

“Well…” Zuko began, “Aang and I actually ran into them during the war when I was teaching him Firebending. But we had to promise to keep their society a secret so they can protect...their...” Zuko caught himself, fumbling over his words as he stopped himself from revealing the presence of the dragons that lived with the Sun Warriors. “...uh...culture.”

It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Suki and Ty Lee, but he was never sure who could be listening to their conversation in the Fire Nation Palace. They were the last dragons left _in the world_ and the last true Firebending Masters. He wanted to protect them almost as much as the Sun Warriors themselves did.

“Wow,” Ty Lee exclaimed “That’s amazing!”

Zuko sighed - he certainly wasn’t as thrilled as Ty Lee was now that word of their presence would travel across the country. “I guess they can’t stay hidden anymore. I just hope they can stay safe.”

“But wait-” Suki interjected “Why are they attacking the factories and supplies in Huinan?”

Zuko looked away, attempting to piece the information together. “That’s something else I don’t understand. Why would they attack innocent people? And why would they risk their entire culture getting caught?”

“So, what are you going to do?” Suki asked.

“I think…” Zuko paused as he came to his conclusion, “I think I have to go and check it out. I’ve dealt with the Sun Warriors before. And maybe I can talk to the one they caught too. They’re keeping him in the Boiling Rock, just outside of the province.”

Suki and Ty Lee exchanged another glance and nodded in agreement to the silent question between the two. Suki looked back at Zuko and smirked. “We’re coming too,” she announced. “You’ll need guards you can trust if you’re visiting the Sun Warriors.”

“Are you sure?” Zuko asked, even though he couldn’t hide the hint of excitement in his voice. “It would probably push your departure back another week.”

“Cranefish will still be there when we get back,” Ty Lee explained. “We’re needed here for one more mission.”

“Yeah!” Suki agreed. “Plus, Sokka can come too! He’s actually on his way here now to travel back to Cranefish with us.”

Zuko noticeably perked up and his demeanor shifted. It had been a while since he was able to leave the Capital City and the thought of having his friends along for the journey made it all the more exciting. He was actually looking forward to this.

****

Ty Lee and Suki finished their tea and shortly after began the walk to their quarters. What started as excited chatter about their upcoming adventure soon dissipated into concern for the Fire Lord. Ty Lee attempted to ease Suki’s worries. She knew Zuko was no stranger to being alone, but he would wear himself out if he didn’t have someone to keep him in check.

“He’ll be alright,” Ty Lee offered. “I mean...what was it like before we were here?”

“Well-” Suki paused to think “another world war almost broke out, and between his work and the threat of being assassinated - he wasn’t getting any sleep. But at least Mai was around then.”

“Well, Mai’s still here,” Ty Lee pointed out.

Suki chuckled as if Ty Lee had told a joke. “Yeah, but they don’t really get along anymore if you remember.”

“I know that, but they’re _so annoying,”_ Ty Lee huffed in frustration. “I mean everytime I see Mai, she asks about Zuko. And everytime _Zuko_ hears I visited _Mai_ he asks about her! They need to get over themselves and just talk already.”

“Good luck arranging _that.”_

Ty Lee scrunched her face up as if trying to send ideas to her brain. The last time they were in the same vicinity was only because Azula had kidnapped their siblings and Mai’s father was plotting to get Zuko off the throne. Apparently working together to stop Zuko’s enemies was the only way Mai would even consider making an appearance. 

Suddenly, an idea hit her. “That’s it!” Ty Lee exclaimed. “Mai should come with us! It’ll be like...symbolic! We’re leaving his life and she’ll be coming back into his life, but before that happens we can all take this journey together. If we can get them working together again - maybe they’ll realize why they got along so well in the first place!”

Suki eyed her doubtfully. “You think that’ll work?”

“Oh totally! They definitely became friendlier after the last time that happened. Plus now Kei Lo’s not around anymore to distract Mai.”

Suki hummed and brought a finger to her chin as she considered her suggestion. “I think we can get Zuko on board, but I’m not sure about Mai…”

Ty Lee smiled her confident Ty Lee smile as she winked at her friend. “I can get her to say yes. I think I know Mai pretty well.”

  
  


****

_“No.”_

Mai sighed as she clipped and groomed the branches and flowers in front of her into a passable arrangement. She was simultaneously working at her Aunt Mura’s flower shop and keeping an eye on her now five-year-old brother - who’s knack for ending up in places he shouldn’t only seemed to increase with his age - when she was interrupted with a visit from Ty Lee.

She knew Ty Lee would be leaving with the Kyoshi Warriors soon and assumed that her visit was only to spend some time with her before her departure, but when Ty Lee arrived she announced that her departure was to be delayed because Zuko needed her for a mission. Which sounded all well and good to Mai until Ty Lee suggested that Mai should join them. “You should come with us!” Ty Lee had said.

Judging from Ty Lee’s reaction to Mai’s answer, her rejection wasn’t as obvious to Ty Lee as Mai thought it should have been.

“Why not?!” Ty Lee gasped.

Mai continued to clip at the arrangement in front of her. “Why would I?” She wrinkled her nose as if offended at the thought. “That sounds like Fire Lord business. I’ll pass.”

Apparently that wasn’t a good enough excuse for Ty Lee. “But it’ll be the last time we get to hang out for a while. It’ll be like a sleepover!”

Mai scoffed. “Yeah with Zuko and his loudmouth friend. No thanks.”

Ty Lee grunted in frustration.“You _know_ his name is Sokka,” she corrected. “And who cares about them? We can just ignore them.”

“They’re hard to ignore,” Mai countered. 

Speaking of hard to ignore....next to her Tom Tom began tugging at her robe and babbled her name in an attempt to get her attention. “ _What."_ she seethed to the child at her feet.

“I want cookies,” he stated as if it were obvious. Mai rolled her eyes and ignored him - she wasn’t going to explain to him for the millionth time that he wasn’t allowed cookies until after dinner. 

She turned back to the flowers in front of her and continued her work, ignoring Ty Lee’s scornful gaze. Mai could tell she wasn’t going to take no for an answer.

“Oh come on Mai, it’s something to do! I _know_ how bored you are here because that’s all you talk about,” she chided as Mai only sighed again in response. “Plus, we’re going to the Boiling Rock! You mentioned going to see your uncle soon. And it’ll definitely help us out if you’re there with us when we talk to him.”

Mai paused her clippings and observed the arrangement in front of her as she considered Ty Lee’s words. She had a point - it would at least be something to do. Plus her mother had been nagging her for ages about visiting her uncle, forever guilting her with the fact that she broke her uncle’s perfect prison record. Going with them on their mission would at least solve that problem for Mai. 

“What does Zuko have to say about it?” she asked.

“Oh, he’s totally fine with it,” Ty Lee said a little _too_ quickly and grinned. Mai eyed her suspiciously. Mai and Zuko weren’t on terrible terms, but Mai was hardly sure if he would be _totally fine_ stuck travelling with his ex for a few days.

Mai, deep in thought weighing her options, didn’t catch her brother ascending the cabinets next to her in search of the jar of snacks her mother kept hidden at the top. She heard it before she saw it - her brother yelped, pulling out a drawer in an attempt to steady himself and fell backwards. His other hand grabbed at the fabric on the countertop as the arrangement she was working on slipped out from under her, the clay vase hitting the floor with a crash as it shattered.

Mai looked over at her brother lying on the ground, slowly pushing himself up with his hands as contents of the drawer full of ribbons and brushes and paper were scattered all over the floor. At her feet, the order she had been so meticulously working on was now a broken pile of pottery, dirt, leaves, and broken stems. Mai was about to react as she normally would in a situation like this and break out her most unamused, dramatic of sighs when her mother and aunt ran into the room at the sound of the commotion.

“What happened?!” her mother exclaimed. She spotted the boy on the ground and ran over to him, brushing the dirt from his robes and examining him for any signs of injury. Satisfied that the damage appeared minimal, she turned to her daughter. “This is why you can’t let him out of your sight for a minute, Mai. You should know that by now.” Her mother turned back to Tom Tom, cooing and tsking to herself.

Mai watched as her mother fussed over Tom Tom and chose not to dignify her scolding with a response. With a sigh that had been building in her chest, she turned back to Ty Lee, resigned. “What time are we leaving tomorrow?”

Ty Lee beamed back at her friend. Mai seriously hoped this would be worth it.


	2. Uncharted Waters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zuko is surprised to find that there's not just one, but two new additions to their group. Mai already wants to go home.

The sun had just begun breaking up the fog along the shoreline when Zuko arrived at the docks. Suki and Ty Lee were by his side along with some of the warriors who were there to wish them well on their trip.

Through the haze he spotted the familiar figure of Sokka, clad in blue robes with his trusty boomerang strapped to his back. Suki sprinted ahead of them, running up to the other warrior and pouncing onto him as she greeted him with a smooch. 

As Zuko approached he was surprised to see another familiar face standing next to Sokka, arms crossed and impatiently tapping her foot as she blew a strand of hair out of her face.

Suki must have been as surprised as Zuko at the appearance of Sokka’s guest because she unlatched from her boyfriend’s embrace to excitedly greet the other girl. “Toph! I didn’t know you were coming,” she wrapped her up in a friendly hug which the other girl returned with just enough warmth as to not appear ungrateful. “This is great!” Suki beamed.

Toph smiled in the direction of the other girl and put her hands on her hips. “Yeah, I figured it’s been a while since I’ve had a good vacation. Plus Sokka here mentioned you could use my help with some interrogations.”

Zuko approached, grinning at their new addition and put a hand on Toph’s shoulder as he greeted her. “Great to see you, Toph. How’s the metalbending academy going?”

“Those ding dongs can’t do anything right! Since they can’t handle the serious stuff yet, I gave them a  _ nice _ art project to work on while I’m gone.” Zuko noted the devious smirk on her face and wondered what the catch was. He was sure their homework assignment was anything  _ but  _ nice. 

Suki echoed his thoughts. “I didn’t know you were teaching an art class now,” she giggled. “What’s the project?”

Toph’s devious grin widened as she explained to her friends. “They have to use their bending to make sculptures of their favorite metalbending sifu. Whoever makes the worst replaces the training dummy for a week. No more nice Toph.”

Ah, there was the catch. Zuko knew Toph’s teaching methods were somewhat questionable, but he also knew better than to question them. However he certainly could at least admire that she didn’t baby her students.

Toph left to greet Ty Lee, and behind him Zuko heard Suki whisper to Sokka. “Talk about  _ Toph love _ .”

Sokka stretched an arm around Suki’s shoulders, pulling her into him and grinning. “Not bad, Suki, but the delivery could use some work.” Suki frowned in mock annoyance.

Zuko smiled at his friends, grateful to spend the next few days with this group. He looked back over the docks, and his eyes stopped their search when he spotted Yua chatting with a couple of the other warriors.

He had thought about what Ty Lee and Suki had told him about Yua’s crush. He was certainly flattered, but in truth romantic relationships were never at the forefront of his thoughts. And when they were, it was usually reminiscing on his previous relationship, which he tried to avoid for the sake of his sanity. He was so busy getting his country back in order, that he really hadn’t had the time for a new love life.

However, now that things were beginning to settle and he was finding himself navigating a new normal, he couldn’t help but wonder if maybe it was time to allow himself to think about a romance. It had been over a year since Mai had told him it was time for them to move on after all, and she certainly had.

He walked towards Yua to greet her. The group of warriors she was chatting with giggled and whispered something to the girl before leaving. Yua smiled, blushing as he approached. As he got closer, Zuko could see the freckles that dotted her cheeks and nose that were normally hidden by her heavy makeup.

She bowed as he came to a stop in front of her. “Have a safe trip, Fire Lord Zuko.”

“Thanks,” Zuko smiled and cleared his throat awkwardly. “You can just call me Zuko by the way. You don’t work for me anymore, remember?”

Yua straightened and looked back up at the Fire Lord. “Okay...Zuko,” she said as her eyes twinkled.

“So I was thinking...” Zuko started, reaching behind him to rub awkwardly at the back of his neck. “Maybe if there’s time when I get back, we can have dinner or something before you have to leave the Fire Nation.”

Zuko hadn’t thought there was a possibility that she would reject him. Suki and Ty Lee made it seem pretty obvious she liked him, but he couldn’t help but grow anxious when she only blinked and her face reddened in response. 

He began to backtrack when what seemed like a lifetime had passed without a reply. “Don’t feel like you have to say yes or anything. I promise I won’t be upset. I just thought…” he trailed off, inwardly cursing Suki and Ty Lee for planting the idea in his head in the first place.

“No, I’d like that,” she finally answered with a small smile on her face and Zuko’s thoughts of doubt silenced in his mind. He smiled back and before he could respond, she leaned forward on her tiptoes and planted a soft peck on the side of his cheek. “I’ll be looking forward to your return.” 

Zuko blushed back, pleasantly surprised at how this conversation turned out.

****

They hadn’t even boarded their ship and Mai already wanted to go home. She wondered if it was a new record.

She had just arrived at the docks and was making her way over to Ty Lee who was chatting with the blind earthbender that Mai recognized as Toph, when she happened upon the sight of her ex boyfriend getting cozy with some girl that Mai only vaguely recognized as one of the Kyoshi Warriors whose name she never bothered to learn.

The only thing that was worse than witnessing whatever  _ that  _ was, was the realization that it even bothered her at all. Afterall, she had moved on before he had. And even though it hadn’t worked out with Kei Lo, she still wasn’t making any moves to get back with her  _ other  _ ex. There were only two reasons why she was here - as a favor to Ty Lee before she left the Fire Nation, and to visit her uncle to appease her mother.

She was so busy mentally scolding herself for worrying about Zuko’s newfound love life that she didn’t even notice when the short, brash Earthbender appeared next to her, seemingly out of thin air.

_ “Woof. _ You okay there, stabby?” Toph said announcing her presence and causing Mai to jump.

She shot the girl a pointed glare, annoyed that she was able to catch her off guard, before realizing the gesture was lost on the blind earthbender. “I’m _fine,”_ Mai said flatly in an attempt to regain her composure. 

“You may be able to fool everyone else, but you can’t lie to me. Whatever, it’s fine.” Toph shrugged. “We don’t have to talk about it. Actually - I don’t  _ want _ to talk about it.”

Mai’s eyebrow twitched at the girl’s incessant prodding. “I really don’t know  _ what  _ you even think I’m lying about.  _ I’m fine,” _ she repeated, crossing her arms.

Toph looked unimpressed. “I guess no one told you this yet, but I can feel people’s physical reactions to things with my earthbending. Like  _ your _ reaction to catching Fire Pants over there talking to his new girlfriend.”

“Well that's... _ invasive.”  _ Now, Mai didn’t even care that Toph couldn’t see her glare. Perhaps, Mai thought, she could sense it with her nosy  _ earthbending.  _

“Look, like I said, I don’t really care,” Toph stated, waving her off in indifference. “If you wanna cry about still being in love with your ex boyfriend, you should probably talk to Ty Lee or Suki. It’s not really my thing.”

“I’m not-” Mai began to argue but stopped before she could implicate herself further. “It’s not my thing either, so if  _ you don’t mind…” _ Mai dismissed herself, making her way towards Ty Lee as the other girl just shrugged and walked back to where Sokka and Suki stood.

Since Mai’s nerves were already being tested, she didn’t respond in turn when Ty Lee greeted her with a warm hug. Ty Lee didn’t seem to mind and didn’t even seem to notice that Mai was already more exasperated than usual.

“You made it!” she exclaimed.

Mai was about to lament to Ty Lee that she just wanted to get this over with when Zuko and his impeccable timing approached. 

“Mai?!” he greeted, and Mai couldn’t help but notice that he sounded surprised to see her there. “I didn’t realize you were coming to see us off.”

This time the recipient of Mai’s pointed glare  _ was  _ able to see it. Ty Lee looked sheepishly back, a guilty smile creeping up onto her face at the realization that she had been caught. Mai could have chosen to expose Ty Lee for her deceit, but for everyone’s sake decided on aloofness instead.

“And now that I’ve said my goodbyes I’ll be going home,” Mai dismissed herself, turning to leave as she waved half-heartedly back at Zuko and Ty Lee. “Have fun on your dumb mission-” she started before Ty Lee grabbed her arm and pulled a scowling Mai back towards them.

“Actually...” Ty Lee explained, forcing a smile onto her face in an attempt to ease tensions “I thought Mai could come with us! I figured if she’s there her uncle might give us a little extra help when we visit the Boiling Rock.”

Zuko tilted his head in confusion as he looked from Ty Lee to Mai. “So wait...you’re coming now too?”

Mai frowned and crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow, sensing that she was unwanted. Zuko must have noticed her discomfort because he attempted to offer her a way out.

“You don’t have to come if you don’t want to,” he began to explain. “We’ll be able to manage.”

Mai’s face became concerningly blank as the anger simmered inside of her. She couldn’t believe that Ty Lee had managed to convince her that this would actually be a  _ good _ idea. “Great thanks,” she said in a tone that implied anything  _ but  _ grace “I appreciate you not wasting my time then.”

Now it was Zuko’s turn to scowl. “That’s not what I was saying-” he tried to explain as the tone of his voice rose to match his increasing agitation.

He was cut off by Ty Lee, who had previously been looking nervously back and forth between the two. 

“Oh come on, Mai,” Ty Lee said in an attempt at peacekeeping, “You told me you were going to jump into a volcano if you had to make one more flower arrangement. And  _ you _ ,” Ty Lee said, turning to Zuko “were about to skip the visit to the Boiling Rock because you were so nervous about dealing with the warden again.”

The acrobat threw her arms around her two friends, pulling them into her as she ignored their skeptical side-eyes. “It’ll be fun!”

Mai rolled her eyes. Fun is not the word she would use. Awkward, obnoxious, stressful, yes, but not fun.

“Fine,” Mai muttered reluctantly as she pushed Ty Lee’s arm off her shoulder. Zuko also straightened up, releasing himself from under Ty Lee’s hold. 

“This is going to be great you guys!” Ty Lee beamed. “Just you wait and see!”

****

After the awkwardness from the morning, Mai was grateful that the first leg of their trip came and went without any more incidents. 

The group of six sat on deck most of the day, chattering and laughing as they caught up with one another. Mai didn’t offer much to the conversation and certainly didn’t mind that no one was pushing her to share more. She even found it somewhat relaxing that she was able to keep to herself. Between work, Tom Tom, and her mother, she was constantly being forced into interactions, so she could appreciate the moment of peace.

She was also grateful to note that they weren’t travelling on some extravagant royal cruiser and instead a much more modest ship that still managed to be just luxurious enough to be suited for royalty. The crew of the ship mostly kept to themselves and with Ty Lee and Suki acting as Zuko’s guard, Zuko was able to drop the obnoxious royal procession he normally travelled with. 

At dinner that evening, Zuko and Suki laid out the group’s plans for the next few days. They’d be arriving in Huinan the next morning to meet with the governor and his head guard, then the next day they would travel to the Boiling Rock to interrogate the imprisoned Sun Warrior. 

It seemed straightforward enough to Mai. Ty Lee had filled her in on the details of their journey earlier. Mai didn’t really know much about the Sun Warriors except for some old folktales and what she had been taught at the academy. Hearing that they were actually still around and had just been keeping themselves hidden for all these years, Mai couldn’t help but wonder what was so interesting about their culture that they felt it was special enough to hide. But the thought was fleeting because whatever it was, Mai knew she was bound to find out soon if it was important enough.

Everyone made their way to their quarters after dinner except for Mai. Mai was stuck bunking with Ty Lee, though that wasn’t what was preventing her from retiring to her bed. She was accustomed to travelling and bunking with the acrobat from their days waltzing around the Earth Kingdom with Azula, and rooming with Ty Lee again was a familiar feeling.

Unfortunately, another familiar feeling from her days of travelling were her bouts of seasickness.

Her stomach grew unsettled as she felt her dinner swish around in rhythm with the waves that rocked the boat. She found her way to the deck of the ship, hoping the crisp, salty air could offer her stomach some respite.

The hair that hung loose from her buns whipped around her face as the ship journeyed north. Mai gazed out upon the sea, the last bits of orange in the sky fading as the sun sunk under the horizon, drowning the sky in a much more preferable blackness. She inhaled sharply and swallowed as she tried to get her mind away from thoughts of losing her meal over the side of the ship.

Her thoughts wandered to her earlier reunion with Zuko. She scolded herself for getting so worked up about it, and even more so for letting the nosy earthbender catch her in the act. She’d have to be careful what she said and did around the girl in order to avoid more unwanted psychoanalyzing if she wished to maintain her sanity.

It wasn’t even a big deal anyway. Zuko could date whoever he wanted it was none of her business. The less she knew the better and she preferred to keep it that way.

As if on cue, she saw the subject of her grievances approach her out of the corner of her eye. She turned her head slightly in acknowledgement of his presence, though her eyes remained trained out at sea in hopes of maintaining her composure. 

“Are you feeling okay?” Zuko broke the silence, stopping as he approached her side. A hint of concern sprinkled in his voice. “I know you never liked boat travel.”

“I’m  _ fine, _ ” she shot back more coldly than she intended, an aftershock of their interaction earlier that morning.

There was a beat of silence. She could tell Zuko was weighing his options, probably wondering if it was best to leave her with her thoughts. She was intrigued when he decided to proceed with caution.

“I’m sorry if I gave you the impression that I didn’t want you to come earlier. You just didn’t seem like  _ you  _ wanted to.”

Mai sighed. “Whatever, it’s fine,” she waved a hand at him dismissively as if to wave off any bad feelings about their earlier conversation.

“For what it’s worth, I  _ am  _ happy you’re here,” he offered, and Mai tried not to admit that it actually did make her feel better to hear him say that. “I still don’t think your uncle likes me very much.”

Mai bit her tongue before she could respond with a sarcastic  _ \- wonder why  _ \- in favor of something more friendly. Since he was at least trying to be civil, she figured maybe she could do the same.

Mai turned to look at him, taking a moment to study him before responding. At first glance, he looked as he had when he was still a prince - newly returned home to her. But when she blinked, he transformed into someone older, broader, so sure of themselves, and it was almost like she was standing with a complete stranger and not someone she had once known so intimately. 

The thought churned in her stomach along with her dinner. But as she met his familiar golden eyes, she was relieved that she could still recognize him there.

She sighed. 

“I figured it’s in the best interest of my nation to prevent the Fire Lord from being boiled alive.” The words themselves weren’t quite friendly, but she hoped that Zuko would still be able to recognize the joke in her dry delivery even after all of this time.

To her relief, Zuko smiled and bantered back. “Your nation is grateful for your service.” 

Mai didn’t return the smile, but the twinkle of amusement in her eyes was close enough.

They remained like that for a quiet moment as the storm in Mai’s stomach grew quieter until it was merely a minor annoyance and she knew she would not be at risk of curling up with a bucket while she slept. With a yawn, she dismissed herself, wishing the Fire Lord good evening. She made her way back to her quarters with a new hope that her stomach, and her emotions, could remain at bay throughout their trip.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm always confused on travel time in the ATLA world and I wondered if it would take them a whole day and night to reach the northern Fire Nation Isles, but then I remembered that the show speeds up and slows down travel time for plot convenience so I will too!
> 
> Chapter three is turning out to be a pain in my butt, but I vow that I will be back next Sunday with a brand new chapter.
> 
> Thanks for all of the kudos, reviews, bookmarks, etc.! As always it's great see people are enjoying this and genuinely helps me stay focused on this thing. Cheers!


	3. Huinan Pt. 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang arrive in Huinan and are treated to a not-so-nice welcome.

Word of the Fire Lord’s arrival must have spread through the province. When the group arrived the next morning, they were not only greeted by an entourage of guards to escort them to the governor’s estate, but citizens from across Huinan lined the streets in an attempt to get a glimpse at their young leader.

Mai observed the faces around her. Some wore the familiar expressions of awe and adoration that she had expected. She always _knew_ she was supposed to be awed by the fire that burns in the royal family’s lineage or whatever, at least that’s what she and everyone else she knew was taught, but any feelings of wonder dissipated early on in her childhood. She assumed she had simply become desensitized from spending most of her youth in the palace and courts. Perhaps if these folks were privy to all of the secrets and flaws of those who bore the crown, they would realize the royal family is just as screwed up as everyone else. 

However, she understood that, to them, the crown was something that many respected and even worshipped. Which is perhaps why she found it more curious that there were some in the crowd who watched the Fire Lord warily and even some with something akin to contempt. 

Closer to the capital, unease over the new Fire Lord’s reign had dwindled, however it appeared that same regard hadn’t quite reached the outskirts of the nation yet.

The others in their group also didn’t seem impressed by the fanfare and extravagance of the Fire Lord’s welcome. Behind her she heard Toph and Sokka mock the formalities of it all. _“Oh Fire Lord our fearless leader!” “Grant us your wisdom Fire Lord. Kiss my baby Fire Lord.”_

Mai rolled her eyes at their ignorance and caught Zuko sharing her sentiment. He shot them a glare as they approached the governor’s estate. “Are you two finished?” he hissed.

The estate, which would act as the group’s headquarters for their trip, sat atop a hill looking down at the village below. They were guided to a formal meeting room that appeared to be a miniature version of the ones in the royal palace. At the group’s entrance, the two men and the few guards in the room bowed to their Fire Lord.

Mai immediately recognized one of the men, Governor Pravat, as an old acquaintance of her father. He was a short man, about Mai’s height, but twice as wide. Just like her father, he was built for politics and not combat. Though when he straightened from his bow, he still stood with his chest puffed, ready to lead.

A wide, hollow smile plastered itself across his face as he welcomed his guests. “Fire Lord Zuko, welcome to Huinan. Thank you for coming.”

He looked over the rest of their group and his eyes lit up with recognition as he came across Mai. “Mai, is that you? I haven’t seen you since your family’s last visit during the war.” Mai frowned as he took her hand tenderly. He ignored the disgust creeping into her features “You grow more beautiful with age, my dear. Your parents must be proud.”

Mai fought the urge to roll her eyes. “Governor Pravat,” she greeted tonelessly and bowed her head in respect.

“Your uncle will be pleased to see you.” He spoke with a familiarity that Mai certainly thought wasn’t earned, though she knew that feigned intimacy is quite common in the Fire Nation courts. “I heard about your father though, such a shame…”

A comment about appreciating his _genuine concern_ and what would be a _real_ shame sat on the tip of her tongue, however died there when Zuko interjected - though she wasn’t sure if it was in anticipation of her retort or perhaps he just tired of the man’s pomp.

“So, Governor Pravat, can you give us an overview on the problems you’ve been having here in Huinan? I’ve read the reports, but I’d like to get your take on it.”

The governor, who was still holding onto Mai’s hand much to her disdain, turned from her and smiled the fake friendly politician smile back at the Fire Lord. “Yes, I suppose you’d like to learn why you’re here. This here-” he said and finally let go of Mai’s hand as he motioned towards the taller, mustached man who stood behind him, still as a statue “-is Constable Jung. He’s been leading the investigation and was there when we apprehended the Sun Warrior.”

Constable Jung bowed politely. “It’s an honor, my Lord.”

Behind her, Mai could hear Sokka and Toph begin their impressions again until she heard an “ _oof_ ” from Sokka in response to what Mai assumed was a swift elbow in the ribs from Suki.

“The attacks began about a year ago on the Gan-Sing factory. They used to develop weapons and machines for the Fire Nation,” the governor explained. “However, recently they began to expand their specialties. Now instead of tanks and drills for war, they’ve shifted to machines and trucks for excavating and logging in the nearby jungles. It’s been quite profitable for the province.” He enunciated the last sentence with a proud smile in an attempt to impress his guests.

“Unfortunately,” the governor continued, “not long after they started venturing out into the jungle is when the attacks started and we realized the nearby Sun Warrior ruins were not as uninhabited as we had previously thought.”

As the governor continued, Sokka leaned into Zuko to consult. “Guess that explains the Sun Warriors,” he whispered. “No wonder they’re mad! They’re invading their homes.”

Zuko furrowed his brow, attempting to piece together the information. “It explains the attacks to the factory, but not to their supplies. Why would they do something that hurts innocent people?” he questioned, keeping his voice low.

Sokka shrugged and made a noncommittal noise.

Zuko spoke aloud, addressing the governor. “What about the damage to your supplies? When did that start?”

This time, it was Constable Jung who spoke. “About a month ago when we apprehended the Sun Warrior,” he stated succinctly and Mai couldn’t help but appreciate the Constable’s ability to get to the point, unlike his counterpart.

“No doubt in retaliation for capturing one of their own, I’m sure,” Governor Pravat interjected with a sniff.

“We had a shipment of produce and medical supplies en route the week it happened,” Constable Jung continued. “Then the next week, our rice paddies to the west were flooded.”

“And we’re sure the Sun Warriors are behind those attacks too?” Zuko added.

The constable shook his head. “The attacks happened under the cover of darkness. We weren’t able to get a good look at the assailants, but the ambush had similarities to the attacks to the factory and in the forests.”

Mai looked back at Zuko, awaiting his response. He stood there silently for a moment, and she could see the gears churning in his head.

****

Zuko continued to listen to the governor and constable’s brief of the attacks. On the surface, it seemed straight-forward, but something was still itching at the back of his mind, attempting to piece together the information. It wasn’t adding up.

The governor had begun to veer slightly off topic, bragging about the decline of local crime and poverty rates otherwise when the servants announced the presence of a new guest to their discussion.

A man in fine robes strode into the room and bowed respectfully at the Governor before turning to Zuko. His eyes widened in recognition before settling into a lukewarm greeting before bowing before the Fire Lord.

“Fire Lord Zuko” Governor Pravat introduced, “this is Gan, the owner of the Gan-Sing factories. I asked him to stop by to meet you.”

Zuko nodded in acknowledgement. “I’m sorry to hear about the troubles to your business. We’re here to help in any way we can.”

“Thank you, my Lord,” Gan greeted, “Although, I do wish we could have caught your attention sooner, _before_ things got out of hand…”

Zuko couldn’t stop the scowl forming on his features at the man’s forwardness as he was reminded that not all appreciated his efforts. 

“Yes…” Pravat started awkwardly, “But we’re _very_ grateful that the Fire Lord has chosen to address our case personally.”

“Hmph,” Gan huffed, unimpressed. “Yes, perhaps now that we have the Fire Lord’s attention, we can get the resources to clear out the savages in the forests once and for all.”

Zuko grimaced at Gan’s suggestion. “Woah-” he said, his hands raising in front of him in defense, “We’re not trying to clear them out. I’m not even entirely convinced they’re behind all of this.”

“What do you mean?” the governor piped up.

Zuko sighed. “Just...something doesn’t feel right. Maybe they attacked the factory but...I can’t see them hurting the town.”

“Ha!” Gan barked. “Wouldn’t be the first time you sided with our enemies. Our motto used to be ‘Nation First’ you know,” he sneered.

He stepped towards Zuko and pointed a finger accusingly, hovering over the Fire Lord. “We never had any problems sustaining the province when we were building ships and weapons. But you forced us to adapt by ending the war. This is _your fault_ Fire Lord.”

With every accusation, Zuko grew more agitated at the man’s blatant disrespect as he could feel the flames crawling beneath his skin. He was the _Fire Lord_ \- if he had been speaking to his father or even his grandfather, he would be scorched where he stood. 

Before Zuko could react Suki and Ty Lee, acting as his guards, stepped in between Gan and the Fire Lord defensively.

Gan eyed the girls skeptically before taking a step back and scoffing. “Can’t even trust your own men to defend you. Instead you employ these Earth Kingdom...girls,” he taunted. Part of Zuko wanted to explain to the man that it was more likely they stepped in to protect Gan from _his_ wrath rather than the other way around.

“No wonder so many of our great leaders have opposed you.” Gan punctuated the criticism with a knowing look to Mai.

It took every ounce of self-control for Zuko not to shout back at the man and tell him how wrong he was. Zuko knew it would be impossible to make everyone in his nation like him, especially after so many years of war, but it still was a staggering realization when he faced it so blatantly.

Zuko was expecting Gan to continue his barrage or another awkward attempt at peacekeeping from the governor. He was surprised when it was Mai who spoke up next.

“My father was a moron and got what he deserved. My mother’s family and plenty of other prominent families support his reign,” she said steadily and the flames that had been licking under Zuko’s skin simmered. “Maybe if you educate yourself on the _good_ he’s actually doing for this country, you could learn to appreciate that he’s taking the time away from his important duties to help you solve _your_ problems.”

Zuko snapped his head to her and watched her with admiration as she spoke. She stood tall and confident and spoke with a conviction that he wasn’t used to hearing from her. His heart skipped a beat.

Gan’s glare shifted from Zuko to Mai back to Zuko. He shrunk in resignation and turned to address the governor. “Please let me know if you need anything else from me to aid in your investigation.” He turned back to the Fire Lord and glared pointedly. “I just hope we get some justice, _Fire Lord._ ” Zuko took note of the contempt that seeped into his voice when he punctuated his title before Gan dismissed himself, exiting the room.

****

Not long after Gan left, Pravat and the Constable likewise excused themselves to attend to their duties, though they left much more politely. The group waited until the room cleared before speaking freely amongst themselves.

“What was that guy’s problem?” Sokka said. “I bet his factory’s just getting attacked in retaliation for being such a jerk.”

Zuko rolled his eyes at Sokka’s unhelpful suggestion. “Even if that _was_ the motive, it still doesn’t make sense why the Sun Warriors would attack the province’s supplies,” Zuko pointed out. “Something isn’t adding up.”

“Yeah, there’s something up with that guy,” Toph interjected. “I can’t tell what, but he seemed...on edge.”

“No kidding,” Zuko huffed.

Sokka stroked his chin thoughtfully. “I want to visit his factory and scope out the damage. See if we can find anything that’ll help us figure out what’s going on.”

“Well, we don’t need all of us at the Boiling Rock tomorrow,” Suki suggested. “Why don’t we go check it out while everyone else goes to the prison!”

“Oh yeah!” Sokka said, punching the air. “Inspector Sokka back in action.” Mai rolled her eyes at his self-proclaimed title.

“Yeah, let’s see what we can dig up on this guy,” Toph joined in, emphasizing with a punch.

“Actually, Toph, we need you with us at the Boiling Rock,” Zuko broke Toph from her revelry. “I was hoping you can use your lie-detecting when we interrogate the prisoner,” he explained.

The blind Earthbender huffed and blew a stray piece of hair out of her face and crossed her arms, visibly disappointed that she would be stuck with the Fire Nation crew rather than Sokka and Suki.

“We’ll get some great bonding time in!” Ty Lee piped up, grinning. “Plus, that’ll give Sokka and Suki some _alone time._ ” She punctuated the suggestion with a wiggle of her eyebrows.

Mai rolled her eyes, and looked back at Toph. She expected the girl to respond with a sarcastic comment that Mai could sympathize with, but was intrigued when instead she appeared to visibly deflate at Ty Lee’s implication about the couple. 

Interesting. She made a mental note of the younger girl’s reaction. If Toph wanted to scrutinize Mai’s feelings, then Mai surmised that she had every right to reciprocate. It was, at least, something that could hold Mai’s interest, especially now that it seemed like their visit wasn’t going to be as straightforward as originally anticipated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Moving along...
> 
> Next Sunday we check in with the warden at the Boiling Rock & Sokka and Suki get some alone time *wiggles eyebrows*
> 
> Thanks again to all of the readers! Hope you're enjoying it so far. One more chapter of info-gathering and then the fun begins.


	4. The Boiling Rock

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mai enjoys some family bonding, Zuko meets the Sun Warrior, and Sokka doesn't have to skip lunch.

The sulfur in the air stung Mai’s nose as the group climbed atop the crater on the small, volcanic island. She was overcome with memories of her last visit here, the pungent smell and heavy air washing over her like a wave of rash decisions and bold claims. She hoped this visit would not be as eventful. 

Next to her, Zuko’s gaze was cast downwards as he trudged along in uncomfortable silence, and she wondered if he was lost to similar thoughts.

The group reached the landing containing the gondolas - the only way  _ out  _ of the prison on the island below (though Zuko and Sokka had proved that it wasn’t the only way  _ in.)  _ Mai’s eyes immediately found her uncle, standing tall amongst his intimidating guard. He smiled, just as Pravat had, at their approach. Though his smile wasn’t quite as wide as the governor's but instead much more sincere.

“Fire Lord Zuko, welcome to the Boiling Rock.” The Warden bowed in greeting. “Or should I say, welcome back?”

Zuko stiffened uncomfortably and cleared his throat as an embarrassed blush crawled up the back of his neck. “Uh...yes. Thank you for having us...sir.”

The Warden shifted his gaze from the Fire Lord to look over Zuko’s shoulder. His smile widened as he locked eyes with his niece. Mai smiled back, holding his gaze from under her bangs as she dipped her head in greeting. “Uncle.”

He returned the gesture before turning to address the rest of the group. “Shall we?” He motioned towards the gondolas.

The gondola creaked and groaned as it made its way over the boiling water. The heat was stifling and Mai could feel her robes beginning to stick to her skin unpleasantly. The discomfort made it hard to pay attention to her uncle’s words as he gave the Fire Lord the briefing on the prisoner.

“He’s not very chatty,” the Warden groused. “But as I’m sure you know, we have ways of making him talk if need be.”

Zuko winced. He clearly didn’t like what the Warden was implying. “I don’t think that’ll be necessary.”

The Warden shrugged indifferently.

Unlike her father, her uncle quickly swore his allegiance to Zuko’s reign - his first act of service being Mai’s release back to Zuko at the news of his victory. Her uncle, much like Mai, was not impassioned one way or the other to war’s effort since he had always worked within the Fire Nation’s borders. He  _ was,  _ however, much more concerned about his career and reputation - which greatly improved when the only footnote on his otherwise immaculate prison record belonged to the Fire Lord himself.

The gondola doors groaned open, welcoming them to prison’s infamous grounds. The atmosphere was eerily quiet and still, the din of the boiling lake below and guards shuffling about on duty the only sounds that echoed around them as the guards guided them through the prison.

Toph’s hands glided along the walls and railings, feeling all of the screws and bolts and bumps in the metal. “Fire Nation’s most secure prison, huh?” she asked conversationally.

The Warden glanced down at the girl out of the corner of his eye. “Correct.”

She made an unimpressed face. “Meh, I could bust out of here, no problem.”

“Hmph” The Warden looked unconvinced. “We’ve only had one escape in all my years here and they had-” he glanced over his shoulder to look pointedly at the three walking behind him “-some inside help.”

Zuko coughed uncomfortably. Ty Lee smiled back apologetically and Mai cast her gaze to the side, embarrassed. Toph remained unphased.

“This is some good quality metal, I’ll admit. But give me two hours and I’ll be hitching a ride on a blimp back to the mainland.” Toph forcefully grabbed a piece of the metal railing and bent it effortlessly in demonstration.

The Warden eyed it incredulously, blinking a few times, stupefied by the sight. After a moment's pause, he barked out a laugh. “That’s impressive.” He took the metal from Toph and inspected it in his hands. “I guess I'll have to find a way to make the prison metal bender proof as well.”

Toph grinned mischievously. “If you get any metal benders here, let me know and  _ I’ll  _ deal with them.”

They came to a stop in front of one of the identical metal doors that lined the hallway as the guards stepped aside allowing them access to the room.

“Aroon is in here,” the Warden explained. “I’ll let you talk to him privately, my Lord. If you need anything, please let me know.” He bowed in respect.

Zuko dipped his head in thanks as he and Toph headed into the interrogation room, the door creaking as it closed behind them.

Ty lee took her post, standing guard outside of the door. Mai stood off to the side, leaning her back against the opposite wall with her uncle.

A heavy stillness hung in the air momentarily. Mai was not one for small talk, and certainly  _ never  _ the one to initiate. Eventually her uncle’s low gruff voice broke the silence. “I hope you’ve been well, niece.”

Mai sighed. “The same as always,” she drawled. “Mother says hi.”

He hummed apathetically. 

“I remember her telling me that you had broken up with the Fire Lord some time ago.” He turned his head to gauge her reaction.

Mai shifted her gaze to the side, avoiding eye contact. “I did.”

He returned his stare ahead. “I don’t mean to pry. I was just…” he paused, searching for the right word. “...surprised when I heard you would be visiting with him, that’s all.”

“He needed my help, so here I am.” Mai shrugged tonelessly. “Aren’t I supposed to serve my country dutifully?” she challenged.

“I just want to make sure you’re taking care of yourself. I know you have gotten carried away around him in the past.”

Mai scoffed and crossed her arms. “Are you saying I  _ shouldn’t _ have helped our future Fire Lord?”

Her uncle sighed sadly. “No, I suppose not.”

Another uncomfortable silence fell over them as they awaited the Fire Lord’s return. Mai watched the door to the room impatiently and hoped their interrogation was going better than hers.

****

Admittedly, Sokka was kind of relieved that he got to stay behind in Huinan. Even though the Warden was helping them as an ally this time, the guy still gave him the creeps. Sure, he was curious about what the prisoner had to say, but Zuko and Toph could handle that. There was something strange going on in the province, and Sokka was determined to get to the bottom of it.

Plus, the other group had to skip lunch and he could  _ not  _ conduct a thorough investigation on an empty stomach.

So, stomachs full and minds sharp, he and Suki made their way to Gan’s factory on the outskirts of town. They approached the guards standing outside the factory’s walls and handed them the note the Governor had signed for them stating their intentions to visit with the factory’s owner. The guard eyed it reproachfully, but eventually complied and allowed them inside.

The grounds hummed with sounds of machinery and chatter, the workers not paying any mind to the visitors as they milled about. Sokka took note of his surroundings. Perhaps there were a few more guards than normal, but nothing out of the ordinary as the workers went about their day business as usual.

On Suki’s suggestion that they at least  _ try _ to get on Gan’s good side, they made their way to his office. Sokka didn’t really care one way or the other if the jerk liked them, but he had to admit it  _ would _ be helpful if the guy at least trusted them enough to let them look around the grounds on their own.

However, when they arrived, they were briskly told he was off the property at the moment and would not be back for a few more hours.

Sokka was probably  _ not _ as disappointed as he should have been.  _ But... _ since Gan wasn’t around to give them a tour that meant that he also  _ wasn’t _ around to tell them they couldn’t have a look themselves either. The second best thing after having permission was not  _ not  _ having permission afterall.

They made their way through the workers and guards as they checked the various buildings and shelters on the property.

“Coming through! Excuse us,” Sokka announced, feigning authority in an attempt to prevent any further questioning. “We have  _ very  _ important clearance from the Governor.” He waved Pravat’s letter around too quickly for anyone to actually get a good look at it and see that maybe it didn’t  _ quite _ give them permission to conduct an investigation on their own.

They first inspected the building that housed the most recently destroyed logging machine. The only thing they could conclude from that was that yep, it was definitely destroyed by fire benders.

They then visited the various warehouses and assembly lines to interview the employees. They encountered the usual workplace contempt (waking up too early, watered down tea, coworkers who sit on their butt all day, etc.) but nothing that would be enough motive to terrorize the factory or the province. So that ruled out an inside job from disgruntled employees and still didn’t rule out the Sun Warriors.

Eventually, Sokka and Suki looped back around to where they started, defeated.

“Nothing,” Sokka bemoaned. He sighed as he slid down the wall until he hit the ground with a thump, propping his head up with his hand. “I can’t believe we didn’t find  _ anything. _ ”

Suki leaned against the wall next to him, her lips twisting in thought. “We can still wait for Gan to get back,” she offered. “Maybe we could get something out of him?”

“Like what?” Sokka asked. “If he was hiding anything, we should have found it by now. We looked everywhere!” He threw his hands out to emphasize his point.

Suki sighed and looked back towards Gan’s office. A sly smile spread across her lips and her eyes sparkled with a revelation. “Well, not  _ everywhere.” _

Sokka looked up curiously as she motioned her head towards the locked door. Sokka followed her gaze and a grin spread across his face. “I  _ love  _ you, you know that?” He jumped up and pulled her close, planting a wet kiss on her cheek.

Sokka brought a finger up to his chin, tapping thoughtfully. “Now...how do we get in there without anyone noticing?”

He turned back to Suki, but noticed that she was no longer standing next to him. He whipped his head around and caught her circling the back of the building. “Come on!” she called after him.

He ran around the back of the building to find Suki already getting to work at the locks on the window with a small knife. Did he mention he loved her already? Because he really, _ really  _ did.

He kept guard, peaking around the side of the wall to make sure no one was coming their way. At one point, a curious worker approached and peeked his head around the corner only to find Sokka and Suki sitting against the wall, seeking respite from the afternoon sun in the shade of the building.

“ _ Woo!” _ Sokka yelped as he dramatically fanned himself. “So glad we could find some  _ shade,  _ right Suki? This Fire Nation heat, I’ll tell ya!” The guard eyed them skeptically, but eventually shrugged and turned back around the corner.

“Real smooth,  _ cool guy,”  _ Suki teased, standing back up and continuing with her handiwork. The window popped open seconds later. With one last glance at their surroundings, they swiftly climbed through, landing inside the office.

They began their search quickly and silently, flipping through the various bookshelves and drawers. Upon initial inspection, nothing of interest showed up. Sokka eyed the calendar on Gan’s desk. It was filled with boring meetings, company gatherings, and production dates. Nothing stood out.

“This is weird.”

Sokka looked up from the desk at the sound of Suki’s voice. She was scanning a piece of paper in her hand before passing it over for Sokka to inspect. He surveyed the document. It looked like a budget sheet, which didn’t seem very weird. That was until his eyes scanned across a note made for a replacement machine that, according to the date, he was accounted for  _ before _ the attack happened. That  _ was  _ weird.

“Why would he already have the money set aside? Do you think he expected it to be damaged?” Suki asked.

Sokka looked back at the paper. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “Maybe he was just being cautious, but...I don’t think so. Let’s keep looking.”

Sokka went back to the calendar on the desk, lifting it up to see if there were any other scattered papers lying around. He set the calendar to the side slowly, as his eyes came across a similar looking calendar. Except this one wasn’t full of production timelines and meetings.

He scanned over the calendar. Some dates were marked with a red dot and had locations across the province written underneath them. The only other marked date on there was one from a month ago marked ‘old ruins - dusk’. He grabbed the budget sheet Suki had found and flipped it over to scribble on the back, taking note of the dates on Gan’s calendar.

“What’s that?” Suki asked, stepping towards Sokka. She glanced down over his shoulder at his scrawl below.

“I  _ think _ it’s a schedule of all of the attacks. At least the recent ones, anway,” he said, keeping his voice low.

“Isn’t that tomorrow?” Suki asked, pointing to the last date which read ‘factory + eastern valley trade route’.

Before Sokka could respond, they heard muffled voices outside of the door and the sound of someone jiggling a key in the lock.

“Let’s get out of here!” Suki hissed. She grabbed his hand and they leapt back through the window and slid down the outside wall. Suki reached up to shut the window, but immediately pulled her arm down to her side when she heard the sound of a door swing open and footsteps enter the office.

Someone shuffled in front of the window, and Sokka and Suki held their breaths as they pressed themselves against the wall, trying to make themselves as small as possible. Sokka wasn’t sure if he could hold his breath any longer, when finally the window shut and the lock clicked. They exhaled sharply in relief.

Sokka shoved the budget sheet in his robes and grabbed Suki’s hand, pulling her with him. “I think we got something. Come on, let’s get back to the others.”

Suki nodded in agreement. They made their way back through the gates of the factory, attempting to look as inconspicuous as possible, the adrenaline from their close call coursing through their veins, hearts pumping loudly in their ears. As soon as they were out of eyesite of the guards, they broke into a sprint, eager to share their findings with their friends.

****

In the center of the dark, hollow room sat the Sun Warrior, Aroon - the Warden had told them, hunched over in his chair. Zuko was brought back to his former visit to the Boiling Rock when he had sat in a chair just like that, in a room just like this one, and was forced to answer for the only thing he had regretted when he had chosen his destiny and left his old life behind.

This time, however, he would be asking the questions.

Aroon glanced up as Zuko and Toph entered, eyeing them both warily. The man’s face was cleared of it’s tribal paint and he wore the common rags that all of the prisoners wore. Zuko, however, recognized the distinct hairstyle of the Sun Warriors, the shaved sides and hair pulled back high atop his head, similar to the style Zuko had worn during his banishment.

The man looked the Fire Lord up and down, studying him, before casting his gaze back to the ground with a frown. “I suppose it’s an honor that the  _ Fire Lord  _ has chosen to grace me with his presence,” he grumbled. “Should I bow, my Lord?”

Zuko sighed. He wanted to help this man and help his people resolve their conflict with the province. How could he get Aroon on his side?

“We’re just here to ask a few questions,” Zuko explained evenly.

He took Aroon’s silence as permission to continue.

“Your name is Aroon, correct?”

The Sun Warrior picked his head up to look up at Zuko curiously. “...yes,” he answered after a moment’s hesitation.

Zuko looked over his shoulder to Toph, who was leaning against the opposite wall, arms crossed. She simply nodded back in confirmation. 

“And you’re a member of the Sun Warriors?”

Aroon tilted his head. “Shouldn’t you know all of this already?” he asked.

Zuko frowned. “Just answer the question, please.”

Aroon sighed, defeated. “ _ Yes,”  _ he hissed back.

Zuko looked back to Toph who nodded back again. Aroon’s calculating eyes slid from Zuko to Toph, probably attempting to sort the role of the earth bender’s presence.

Zuko continued. “Did you and the other Sun Warriors attack the Gan-Sing Factory?”

Aroon snapped his head back to Zuko and narrowed his eyes as if to pierce him with just a look. “They made the first attack when they started demolishing our forest and polluting our land.” He levelled his glare, eyeing the Fire Lord evenly. “Were we supposed to sit back while they destroyed us? I would think you would know something about standing up to your oppressors, Fire Lord,” he challenged.

Zuko’s shoulders stiffened as he inhaled sharply at the accusation. It wasn’t that what Aroon had said had offended him. It was that he had a point. Zuko  _ could  _ sympathize with them. He had just recently ended the century of war and dominance that his country had inflicted on the world.

Zuko had known that the conflict wouldn’t be so straightforward, and looking back at Toph for the confirmation he had already known was true, he had his proof that what Aroon said was true. But still…

“They’re not just attacking the factory and machines anymore. They started attacking the province now too, did you know that?” he asked.

The Sun Warrior pulled his eyebrows together, glaring back and forth between Toph and Zuko. “Are you trying to set me up?” he accused.

“I wouldn’t do that,” Zuko confirmed.

Aroon inhaled sharply before speaking. “The only reason my people would attack the province-” his voice remained steady through his resolve “-is if the province attacked us. We want nothing to do with Huinan or any of their citizens.”

Zuko didn’t even have to look back at Toph to know the man was speaking the truth.

There was a beat of silence as Zuko’s lips tugged into a frown as his thoughts racked his brain. To his knowledge, the province itself didn’t have any business in the Sun Warrior’s forests, just Gan and his machines. Did the Governor not tell him everything? Unless...

“Is there anyone in your clan who would act on their own?” He finally asked, grasping for anything that could point them in the right direction. “Or have you noticed anything strange going on in the province? Anything that would explain why they’re getting targeted now too?”

Aroon scoffed. “Perhaps they’ve angered the spirits,” he said almost mockingly. “We had been noticing some unusual activity by the old Sun Warrior ruins.”

Zuko tilted his head in confusion. “Don’t you live in the old ruins?”

Aroon barked out a harsh, hollow laugh. “No, we don’t live in  _ ruins. _ They wouldn’t be ruins if they were inhabited, you know,” he said crossly. He shifted in his seat, eyeing Zuko up and down before sighing and resolving to offer an explanation. “The  _ old  _ ruins lie a short way to the southeast. You probably never noticed them because they’re almost completely overgrown.”

Zuko thought about mentioning that the  _ current  _ Sun Warrior temples were fairly overgrown, but decided that it would be counterproductive now that Aroon seemed more willing to answer his questions. “What kind of unusual activity?” he asked instead.

Aroon eyed him deliberately as he spoke. “Shadows run through the forests at night. There are bright lights as if there’s a burst of fire.” Zuko felt the hair rise on his neck as Aroon continued. “Strange weather - the crack of lightning when there’s not a cloud in the sky.”

The scar on Zuko’s chest itched at the mention as the possibility of what Aroon was implying settled sickly in his stomach. He glanced back to Toph, who again, confirmed that the other man was being entirely truthful.

In his experience, what followed lightning was usually worse than just the roar of thunder.

He hoped, desperately, that the suspicion worming it’s way through his thoughts was wrong.


	5. The Evidence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Evidence is presented, suspicions are questioned, and a couple of dorks pine for one another.

Zuko entered the dining hall of the Governor’s mansion where everyone was to reconvene and discuss their findings. Sokka and Suki were already seated as they awaited their host’s arrival. Zuko took a seat next to Sokka while Toph, Ty Lee, and Mai settled down on the other side of Suki.

“Welcome back, buddy! How was your trip?” Sokka greeted him with a grin. “Glad to see you’re back in one piece. I don’t know if we’d be able to manage another prison break,” he added.

Zuko huffed in amusement. “It wasn’t too bad,” he replied. “The Warden was happy to see Mai.”

Suki curiously turned her attention to the boys’ conversation at Zuko’s response. “How is that going by the way? You know, spending time with Mai.”

Zuko’s eyes briefly slid over to Mai, who was sitting on the other end of the table. She sighed into her cup before she took a sip, uninterested in joining Toph and Ty Lee’s animated discussion.

He missed her. He missed her dry commentary of his most obnoxious councilmen and women, he missed the way her hair spilled over her shoulders and tickled his arms and neck when she curled herself against him, he missed her rare smiles that were hard-earned but more than worth the effort when he found himself lucky enough to be on the receiving end of one.

But he knew better than to say that out loud. Well he at least knew that _now._

He had expressed his feelings to Mai when they were in the catacombs learning about the Kemurikage and she had made her feelings very clear on the matter. He wondered if he told her again now, if her reaction would be different now that Kei Lo was out of the picture instead of down the hallway. He knew though, that Kei Lo’s presence wasn’t the reason she had taken offense.

“Yeah, that’s _gotta_ be weird- _OW!”_ Sokka yelped as he was hit with a swift jab to the ribs from Suki.

Perhaps it should have been weird. And it certainly was, at first, though that was probably Zuko’s fault too. He had made her feel unwelcome when Ty Lee announced Mai would be joining them. But he knew how much she resented things that were forced upon her. He didn’t want to drag her into another one of his problems. He had a bad habit of it.

But once they got over the awkwardness from their initial interaction, things between them seemed almost normal. It wasn’t _their_ normal, the normal of the short period of time after ending the war where things seemed too good to be true; when they had loved one another freely. But it was a friendly normal - of two acquaintances working together agreeably. And Zuko could be grateful for that at least.

Plus there was no denying that her presence at the Boiling Rock made the Warden much more approachable. Zuko was sure if she wasn’t there, the man would have been breathing down their necks the whole time, doubt caused from Zuko’s last visit still lingering in the air. But with Mai around, the Warden had opted to spend time catching up with her rather than joining them in the interrogation. 

Zuko looked back to his friends and made a face. “It’s not _weird_ , Sokka,” he scolded. “We’re not children.”

“Whatever,” Sokka waved off. 

Suki smiled warmly at Zuko. “Well, _I’m_ happy to see you guys getting along,” she said. “It would be nice if you had a friend in the Fire Nation after we leave.”

Zuko sighed. He wasn’t sure if it would be that simple. He glanced back at Mai attempting to picture what friendship would look like between them. She must have sensed his gaze because she tilted her head just slightly, locking eyes with him for a moment. Her expression softened just a fraction that anyone else probably wouldn’t have caught it. But he knew what to look for. He offered a small smile in return before she turned her attention back to the conversation in front of her.

Maybe it wouldn’t be simple, but it could be something.

Moments later, Governor Pravat and Constable Jung entered, seating themselves at the empty chairs as the servants followed them with hot dishes of food. The Governor was eager to get started. Sokka was eager to dig into the spicy bowl of noodles placed in front of him, so Zuko volunteered to go first. He relayed his interrogation with Aroon and the confirmation from Toph that Aroon truly believed that the Sun Warriors would not attack the province unless provoked.

The Governor wasn’t entirely convinced. “But we _are_ getting attacked,” he countered. “Who would be behind the attacks if not them?”

“Ooo!” Sokka let out a muffled exclamation as he swallowed the chicken pork buns that he had shoved into his cheeks. “Actually, we found something when we were checking out Gan’s place!” Sokka reached into his robes and proudly pulled out a sheet of paper, handing it over to Pravat.

The Governor eyed it curiously. “A...budget sheet?” His voice was riddled with confusion.

“Look!” Sokka leaned over the table, pointing to a line on the paper. “This machine was accounted for _before_ it was destroyed, wasn’t it?”

“And-” Sokka continued, taking the paper out of Pravat’s hands and flipping it over to reveal his own scribbles. “We found these dates and locations in a hidden calendar on Gan’s desk. They’re all of the attacks from _after_ you guys caught the Sun Warrior!”

Zuko leaned over to read the paper in front of the Governor. His eyes scanned across the page, taking note of the coinciding dates and locations.

“I _knew_ that guy was up to something,” Toph interjected, crossing her arms proudly.

“This _is_ interesting,” the Governor admitted, stroking at his chin thoughtfully, “but what does it prove?”

Something caught Zuko’s eye as he leaned in further to read it over again. “Wait-” he said, reading the notes on one of the dates curiously. “Meeting at Old Ruins?” he read aloud. He picked his head up to address his comrades. “Aroon mentioned strange activity at the Old Sun Warrior Ruins. Do you think they’re related?”

“What kind of activity?” the Constable asked.

Zuko shrugged and pulled his brow together as he tried to remember what Aroon had told them. “He mentioned weird noises and strange weather, like lightning. He said maybe it was angry spirits-”

“That’s it!” Sokka interrupted bringing everyone’s attention to him. “Gan is working with angry spirits to attack the province!”

Pravat gasped dramatically. Zuko eyed him doubtfully.

“But what reason would he have to attack the province?” Constable Jung asked.

Sokka raised a finger, about to explain his theory excitedly, but then paused and deflated. “Actually...I don’t know…” he mumbled.

Zuko and Suki groaned collectively. Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose. “I don’t think it’s angry spirits, Sokka.”

“I’m just saying,” Sokka defended, “It wouldn’t be the first time we’ve dealt with spirits for something like this.”

“What do you think it could be, Lord Zuko?” Pravat asked.

Zuko furrowed his brow and looked down, trying not to think about all of the eyes watching for him, waiting for an explanation. He wondered if he should tell everyone of his suspicions. He thought that perhaps simply mentioning her name would summon her from wherever her whereabouts were these days. There also was a good chance she _wasn’t_ involved. And if she wasn’t, he would feel guilty for pointing the finger in her direction anytime something went wrong. But, the suspicion lingered at the forefront of his thoughts ever since he stepped out of the interrogation cell at the Boiling Rock.

“I don’t know for sure-” he said, finally coming to a decision. “-but, I have a bad feeling my sister’s involved somehow.”

He saw Ty Lee gasp and Suki’s face wrinkle with worry.

“Princess Azula?” the Governor asked, keeping his voice low as if she could be listening in. “But why?”

“When Aroon mentioned the lightning coming from the Old Ruins, the first thing I thought of was my sister’s lightning bending,” he explained. “I don’t know for sure though, it’s just a bad feeling. I don’t know how to explain it.” He sighed. “But she would probably give Gan a better reason to work with her than _spirits_ would.” He looked at Sokka pointedly.

“So, you still think Gan is involved?” the Governor asked.

Zuko nodded definitively.

“But _why_ would he attack the Province?” Pravat questioned. “It doesn’t make sense! His factory has brought in money and jobs to the area. I’ve worked closely with him for years!”

“I don’t know,” Zuko said. “But what Sokka and Suki found - I think it’s obvious he knows more than he’s letting on.”

Pravat sighed and looked to the side mournfully. “Perhaps you’re right,” he admitted. He turned to Constable Jung. “It’s getting late. We’ll bring him in for questioning tomorrow.” 

Constable Jung nodded in agreement.

“We should do it first thing in the morning,” Sokka suggested. “One of the dates on his calendar was for tomorrow.”

The Governor nodded solemnly in agreement. They were going to get answers tomorrow, one way or another.

****

Plans were made for the morning to bring in the factory owner for questioning. Sokka, however, stood firm in his belief that spirits were involved _somehow,_ so they agreed to write to Aang to see if he was available to fly over and offer his Avatar mediating services, just in case.

The Governor and Constable excused themselves for the evening and offered tea and cakes for the group to enjoy before they retired to their beds.

Mai listened to Ty Lee babble on about some new conflict with her sisters. “And then Ty Woo had the nerve to say that she didn’t steal my favorite dress. It doesn’t even look good on her!” to which Mai responded with a hum to prove she was still listening.

However, something from Zuko, Suki, and Sokka’s conversation on the other side of the table piqued her attention.

“So I saw you talking to Yua before we left,” Sokka addressed Zuko casually. “What was that about?”

Mai tilted her head slightly towards them in an attempt to filter out Ty Lee’s chatter.

“It’s nothing,” Zuko answered quietly.

Suki giggled and playfully elbowed him. “I wouldn’t call it nothing.”

Out of the corner of her eye, Mai could have sworn she saw Zuko turn his head her way, and she felt his eyes on her. Her heart thumped uncomfortably.

Almost immediately, Mai remembered that there was another in the room and her eyes searched for the earthbender. Toph sat in her chair, arms crossed over her chest with a smug smile and an eyebrow raised in her direction.

Mai fought the urge to roll her eyes at the girl. Nosy earthbender. She turned her attention back to Ty Lee’s ramblings.

Zuko soon left to write to Aang, and Toph moved from her seat to whisper conspiratorially with Sokka about some prank to pull on the Governor. The laughter stopped abruptly when Suki whispered something in Sokka’s ear, a sly smile playing across her face. His attention immediately shifted, a wide grin mirroring hers lit up his face across as he and Suki promptly excused themselves for the evening.

_Gross._

Toph shared her disdain. The girl huffed, clearly disappointed. She excused herself not long after.

Finally, Ty Lee finished her tale of sisterly woes, a story which diverged off into so many different tangents that Mai couldn’t even remember what the point was before finally reaching its conclusion. Her friend left her to find an open space on the floor to practice her evening yoga stretches and meditations to wind down before bed.

Mai sat with her, finishing the last sips of her tea when Zuko returned to them.

“Did everyone else go to bed already?” He asked, taking a seat to join her at the low table before pouring his tea from the ornate ceramic pot.

Mai shrugged, bringing her cup up to her lips. “More or less.” She took a sip from her cup, willing the tea to fill her with it’s calming properties.

Zuko cleared his throat awkwardly. “I wanted to thank you...again...for your help at the Boiling Rock.”

Mai glanced over at him, watching him heat up his cup of lukewarm tea, wondering if she could ask for a warmer as well. She decided against it. 

“My mom’s been nagging me to visit anyway,” she finally responded. “And at least there’s something interesting going on this time.”

Zuko let out an amused huff of air as silence fell between them. Mai took another sip of her tea and thought how much better it would taste if it was the proper temperature. She chanced another look at him. His brows were pulled together, his mind not on the cup in his hands, but probably lost to the possibilities of their discussions over dinner, attempting to piece together all of the variables that were now laid out before them.

Truthfully, she hadn’t really cared one way or the other what was happening in the province. That was, until Zuko had shared his new theory.

“You don’t really think Azula’s involved, do you?” she asked, keeping her voice controlled even though worry wormed its way into the back of her mind.

“I don’t know,” Zuko sighed and his shoulders sagged. “But the lightning…”

Mai nodded solemnly, understanding. “I know.”

She looked over to Ty Lee as she moved through her poses. Mai could have sworn she saw concern flash across her friend’s face, but it disappeared so quickly that perhaps Mai imagined it.

“Honestly? I hope it’s not her.” His voice sounded pained when he spoke. Mai looked back to him. His eyes were still trained down at the steaming cup of tea in his hands though his voice sounded so far away. “After the war, I thought that she could get help and get better. And after we found Mom...I don’t know. Maybe we could try to be a family again.”

He heaved a heavy, sad, sigh before continuing. “But if it _is_ her and she keeps going down this path? I don’t know if she’ll be able to come back from it.”

Mai studied him. Even after all of this time, even in her absence, his sister could still make him so unsure of himself. Mai, not for the first time, inwardly cursed his sister for her effect on him. After everything Azula had put him through, Mai knew that Zuko would never wish her ill. It was something she admired, even if she didn’t understand it.

Mai couldn’t say she felt the same.

****

The door creaked open in the dark, a sliver of orange from the lanterns outside spilling into the shadowy room.

Gan stepped into his office. He stiffened, coming to an abrupt halt as he realized he wasn’t alone. The light flooded his desk, bringing into focus the woman sitting there, impatiently waiting with her legs crossed, feet resting lazily on his desk.

She smiled wickedly at his entrance.

He met the woman’s eyes as he lit the lanterns in his office, providing the room with more favorable lighting, and shut the door behind him. 

“I’m glad to see you’ve made yourself comfortable, Princess,” he mused.

The woman uncrossed her legs and set her feet back onto the ground, leaning forward allowing her elbows to rest on the desk. “Is everything in place?” she asked, voice low.

Gan nodded. “Although, I should tell you that your brother and his companions are here,” he sniffed. “I heard the Water Tribe peasant was poking around my factory today.

The news did not appear to dismay her. “The Fire Lord arrived earlier than expected,” she stated. “But no matter. We’ll just have to speed things up.”

Gan scoffed. “About time. How much longer will this take?” he asked impatiently. “Replacing my machines is expensive, you know.”

“Oh don’t worry. Soon, we’ll both get what we want,” she cooed. “I think it’s time we have a chat with the Governor, don’t you?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sokka going from the most skeptical of the Gaang to the first one who suspects spirits is growth (and also PTSD from Avatar shenanigans)
> 
> Thanks to everyone who has stuck with this story so far! (and shoutout to the readers who predicted Azula's involvement. I can't get anything past you guys, huh?) I know I missed last week's update, but taking a week off from writing this helped me clear my head and this chapter ended up being way less daunting than I thought it would be. Should be back to weekly updates again.
> 
> Coincidentally, the week I did not get a chapter up was also apparently Maiko week. My timing is impeccable. I guess I should actually get my tumblr to a place where I use it regularly so I don't miss these things in the future (also so I can move my ramblings there instead of ranting in the author's notes). Absolutely loving the Maiko Week fics that I have seen so far though. Make sure you check them out if you need some more Maiko in your life (which, yes you do)


	6. Wake Up Call

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things get explosive

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies as I have apparently given up on keeping a consistent posting schedule.

A faint rumble cut through the edges of a hazy dream, suddenly jolting Mai into consciousness. She blinked herself awake, attempting to piece together the sensation and wondering if the loud bang and aftershocks of something (earthquake perhaps?) belonged to a dream or reality. The dark lantern on the wall that swayed slightly back and forth confirmed that it was not all in her head.

She willed herself to sit up, the desire to return to her slumber was overruled by the acknowledgement that she was not at home in her usual surroundings and instead was in a town far away to investigate suspicious attacks and explosions. Through lids still heavy with sleep, she glanced out the window and saw a faint orange glow accompanied by a plume of smoke at the edges of town. She dragged her feet to the window for a better look.

Perhaps it was not an earthquake that had roused her from her sleep.

Heavy footsteps and muffled voices came from the adjacent rooms - her companions also reacting to the disturbance. Mai shrugged on the robe hanging neatly from it’s hanger by the door and joined the others in the hallway. 

Suki and Toph stood together, conversing animatedly about the bang that had startled them. Toph confirmed that she believed it was some kind of explosion. Zuko, equally as alert, joined them shortly after. Mai suddenly felt self-conscious that they all seemed to be able to form full thoughts while she was still trying to piece together her surroundings. Mai pulled her robe tighter around her and stepped towards her companions. She hoped that she would not be pressed to contribute to the discussion. 

To her left, Sokka’s door flew open as the boy, half dressed and seemingly halfway between sleep and consciousness, raised his boomerang defensively. At least Mai wasn’t the only one lacking enthusiasm due to the early hour.

“S’going on?” he slurred.

On cue the Governor emerged from his suite at the end of the hallway, eyes wide with panic. “Another attack!” he blurted out, the only sentence the man could manage to form.

Everyone looked back towards Zuko, waiting for their instructions. He nodded to his companions. “Let’s check it out.”

Sokka reached into his room and grabbed for his boots, hopping into them with considerably less coordination than normal. Mai turned to her room to grab her outer robes and do the same. Behind her, she heard Suki call out. 

“Wait, where’s Ty Lee?”

Toph smacked a fist into the stone wall. It cracked and shook under her force as a muffled yelp and thud came from the room next to Mai’s. Seconds later Ty Lee emerged with a yawn, rubbing away the sleep at her eyes and stretching her other hand towards the sky. Mai generally considered herself a heavy sleeper, but Ty Lee’s ability to enter a coma nearly every time her head hit the pillow was otherworldly.

Ty Lee looked around at her companions drowsily. “Did I miss something?” she asked, tilting her head. Mai rolled her eyes.

“Get dressed, Princess, we’ll explain on the way,” Toph said.

Ty Lee nodded. When she reemerged from her room, she looked as if she had not just been dead to the world only minutes before. Mai frowned as she resolved to tie her hair in a messy bun atop her head, unable to will herself to give any more effort to her appearance.

Once everyone hastily readied themselves, they rushed towards the scene of the blast. The grey smoke ascended into the dark night sky casting the stars above in a hazy cloud, only the brightest of them shining through.

Running through town, Mai saw that their group were not the only ones roused from their slumbers by the blast. Curious citizens looked on warily from their windows. Some had emerged from their homes to chance a better look at the disturbance, their voices hushed as they spoke among themselves. The expressions on their faces varied from fear to caution to curiosity as they looked on to the orange glow of the attack before them.

Constable Jung and a few of his men were already at the scene when they arrived. Mai looked around her as the group was able to slow down and catch their breaths. One of the guards stood with a man sitting against the side of a gate, nursing his head with a rag. A wagon lay behind him, overturned and smoldering as boxes and glass littered the ground. Reins that were once led by komodo rhinos lay empty. The animals must have run off into the dark forests, startled by the attack.

Constable Jung bowed as Zuko and Pravat approached him.

“What happened?!” Pravat, breathing labored and voice panicked, asked. The Constable appeared considerably more put-together and stood straight, speaking evenly as he gave his report.

“We arrived not long before you, sir. The driver over there is considerably shaken up by the events. He didn’t see anything but said he heard a crack before the explosion. Next thing he knew he was on the ground and his wagon overturned and on fire. Some of the supplies he was transporting were flammable, which likely caused the explosion.”

Constable Jung continued to brief Zuko and Pravat on their findings and the state of the driver, who sustained some injuries though none appeared life-threatening. Mai pulled her attention from their conversation and observed the scene around her, noticing that the rest of her group was doing the same. Toph had her hand to the ground and lines of concentration wrinkled her forehead while Sokka closely inspected the remnants of the explosion. Suki kneeled down to the injured driver and talked quietly with him, offering him a clean rag as she spoke.

Ty Lee approached the wagon, eyes roaming over the scene. Her expression shifted into a very un-Ty Lee like one as her eyebrows pulled together and lips curved downward. Mai approached her friend. “What are you looking at?”

Ty Lee glanced over her shoulder to Mai and bit her lip. Mai raised an eyebrow in question and followed her friend’s gaze as she turned back towards the wagon. Mai’s eyes came to rest on the blackened smoulder on the wood, a small wisp of smoke still rising from it’s core. The precision of the strike was...alarming. Ty Lee’s voice startled Mai from her thoughts.

“I didn’t want to believe it was her,” she said quietly.

Mai slid her hands into her sleeves, sliding her thumb against one of her knives, a nervous twitch she had developed when she first started carrying them as a way to hide her fidgeting from her mother’s meticulous gaze. Even in the absence of her mother’s presence, the sensation still provided a way to ground Mai to her thoughts.

“But, why?” Ty Lee asked, understanding Mai’s silence as a response. “What’s the point?”

Mai shrugged. “Who knows. I’m sure she has some sort of deranged righteousness for it though.” Ty Lee frowned at Mai’s bitterness, but Mai didn’t feel guilty for saying it.

Ty Lee opened her mouth to respond, but before any sound came out they were violently shaken from their conversation. The  _ bang! _ reached their ears a split second before they felt the ground tremble underneath them. Mai jerked her head around just in time to see the orange burst in the sky fade to black as another plume of smoke rose into the air on the other end of town.

Another blast.

****

There was no question as to the location of the second blast as Zuko recalled Sokka’s findings from dinner that night.

The Gan-Sing Factory.

Constable Jung called for reinforcements and shouted his instructions, ordering his men into groups - some to inspect the new blast and some to remain behind with the injured driver. The Governor was still huffing from their initial sprint to the scene and the look on his face signaled that he was not ready for another jog across town just yet. But there was no time to lose. Zuko nodded to his companions and they understood. The others could catch up with them later. 

Zuko and the others made their way across town as quickly as they could. He hoped they could make it in time before the culprits escaped. They were not so lucky for the first blast, but they could be this time.

They arrived just in time to catch a flash of orange and spot one of the factory’s guards getting knocked against a nearby tree. Without hesitation Zuko shot a targeted blast towards the figure that had attacked the guard. They caught Zuko’s flame and dissolved it, the light from the shot illuminating their features as they did. It was a woman, face painted with neat red lines, dark hair tied tight atop her head. But her hair was not shaved at it’s sides as Zuko had expected. The way her lip curled deviously seemed foreign from what he had remembered from his time with the people who lived deep in the nearby jungle.

These were not Sun Warriors. He felt a tinge of relief as he came to that conclusion, even if it now created a few other problems.

“How many can you count, Toph?” Suki asked, keeping her eyes focused on the tree line. The fire that burned from the blast provided a helpful source of light in the area, but the shadows that danced along the forest made it hard to differentiate from the shadows and the attackers moving between the trees.

“Four right now. Wait, no-” the earth bender called back, stomping her foot in the ground and raising her arms to punch a rock in the direction of a spot among the trees cloaked in darkness. A grunt and rustle of leaves was heard, confirmation that she hit her target. “Six.”

Zuko heard the acute slice of sharpened metal sliding out from Mai’s sleeves as she narrowed her eyes in search of her target. She jumped to the side, dodging a blast of fire before charging towards the tree line as she zeroed in on the source of the attack. To her right, Ty Lee vaulted herself onto a tree limb, darting between the branches as she followed Mai into the darkness.

Zuko scanned the scene. He had counted four of the fake Sun Warriors in total, leaving two hidden according to Toph’s numbers. A hot light barreling towards his torso from the left forced him into action. He brought his hands up to split the blast down the middle, casting it off to his sides with an angry grunt.

Well, there’s the fifth.

He kicked the blast back at the attacker, another woman it seemed, who leaped and dodged the first blast only to get knocked onto her back with a second flame that Zuko punched from his fist. She scrambled onto her feet and disappeared into the darkness of the forests. Zuko growled in frustration and chased after her.

He followed the movement of shadows and the sounds of the chase, occasionally sending a blast of flame in it’s direction when he thought he had a clear shot. He hoped the light from his attacks would help illuminate his surroundings, but they only managed to cast the trees beyond him further into shadows as the branches and vines grew thicker, tampering his vision and tangling his feet.

He came to a stop once he resolved that he had lost sight of the attacker among the trees. He squinted in an attempt to get a better look and raised his arms in front of him defensively. Occasionally he saw blasts of fire along the edges of his vision and heard the faint sounds of his companions’ battles around him. He hoped they were having better luck than he was.

He stilled himself until the loudest sound around him was the sound of his own breath, heavy from adrenaline. A rustle came from his left and he punched out a flame. But hit nothing. He continued his trek slowly through the trees, carefully stepping over roots and branches, eyes scanning for any shadow of movement. The jungle became denser as he continued through, the sounds of his companions became more faint the further he walked.

Zuko looked up above to the tops of the trees, the blue gray that peaked between the leaves signaled dawn’s first light. He looked to the thickening woods in front of him, the jungle growing impossibly more black the further ahead he looked even though the sun was beginning to light the skies above.

He sighed. He had lost his target.

With one last glance around, he walked back towards the factory as the sounds from his friends’ battles sounded as if they were also reaching their conclusions.

He arrived back in the clearing outside of Gan’s factory where the initial blast had taken place. Suki spoke with the newly arrived Governor as the Constable ordered his men to search the jungle in groups for any sign of the lingering attackers. Sokka leaned against a tree as Toph sat back slouched, sniffing as she crossed her arms over her chest in frustration.

“I guess you guys didn’t have any luck either,” Zuko observed. Ty lee and Mai had still not returned from their fight.

“Mine got away,” Sokka grumbled. “I tried to chase them in the forest, but it’s so dense in there. I couldn’t see anything!”

Toph huffed in frustration. “Usually I have an advantage in the dark. I had ‘em! But then another one came out of the trees and knocked me from behind. There’s too much movement in the trees and I couldn’t keep track of them.”

A shout from the forests caused everyone in the clearing to lift their heads towards the noise. Two of the men emerged motioning for the others to follow.

“Sir! We caught one!” the guard echoed across the clearing.

Everyone immediately perked up from sulking, a new hope that at least _one_ of their companions was successful in their hunt.

They arrived at a small clearing where a handful of guards stood around the attacker - a woman stuck against a tree. She appeared to have given up struggling against the knives that restrained her against her clothes. She was dressed similar to the first woman he had seen earlier, red stripes across her face and hair tied tightly back. She also, however, did not have the sides of her head shaved, and there was something unfamiliar about her robes from what Zuko could remember about the Sun Warriors.

To the side stood a smug looking Ty Lee who eyed the woman victoriously with her hands on her hips. Mai stood beside her with her hands in her sleeves and watched her listlessly as if she had just not taken part in an exhilarating battle with the girl. But perhaps for Mai it wasn’t.

The guards pulled the knives that held the girl to the tree as they restrained her. Her left arm and leg both fell limp and Zuko was reminded why his sister had valued her two oldest friends so much.

Hands cuffed behind her back, the guards dragged the woman back towards the factory, the rest of Zuko’s group in tow.

“Nice work you two,” Suki smiled, impressed.

“I am  _ so _ happy you’re on our side now,” Sokka agreed.

Ty Lee beamed at the compliment. The only acknowledgement Mai gave was a low hum in agreement, and when she met Zuko’s eyes he gave her a small smile of appreciation. He was happy about that too.

They arrived back at the factory to see the Governor attempting to talk down a frustrated Gan. Zuko wondered if the Governor had mentioned yet that they wanted to bring him in for questioning. Gan’s eyes locked onto Zuko as soon as he spotted him and stomped over.

_ “My Lord,” _ Gan hissed, his tone dripping with insincerity. “Is this not enough proof for you?! They have declared war!” he boomed.

Zuko narrowed his eyes and stood firm, keeping his gaze level with Gan. “This attack was not conducted by the Sun Warriors. These were imposters,” he said confidently.

Gan scoffed in disbelief. “Please. The evidence is right in front of your face!” He motioned towards the girl that was currently being escorted by the guards back towards the town. “The longer you play detective, poking around looking for irrelevant clues, the more our province suffers,” he sneered. “It is time we act!”

Zuko squared his shoulders and stood his ground against Gan. He really wished he could shoot a fireball at the guy without it becoming a national incident. “The Sun Warriors have no interest in conflict with the province. These are imposters trying to start a war.”

“What makes you so sure of that?” he countered.

_ “Why don’t you tell me,”  _ Zuko said, his voice dropping into a low growl.

“Are you accusing  _ me _ now? A bold accusation, Fire Lord,” Gan sneered. He turned towards the Governor, who nervously looked back and forth between the two. “Governor, we cannot hesitate while our province falls under attack. We have the equipment. Send our guard into the jungle and deal with this nuisance once and for all.”

The Governor raised a finger to his chin, casting his gaze down upon the ground in thought. Zuko watched him incredulously. Had the man forgotten everything they had discussed the night before?

“Governor Pravat, we have to wait until we speak with the prisoner. Toph and I can get some information out of her,” he pleaded. “Do not engage in any attacks with the Sun Warriors.”

“Our peoples’ lives are at stake,” Gan argued to the Governor. “The Fire Lord does not know of our province, of our livelihood. He ended the war with no plan on how to get back our jobs! We were left to deal with it on our own. He will not care for us once he returns back to his golden palace. We cannot wait for him to act!”

The accusation struck Zuko like a bolt of lightning, straight through the chest. Did the people of Huinan really think that of him? 

One of the first acts Zuko had made after ending the war was a placement program for former soldiers returning home, giving them a way to get back on their feet. He knew that he couldn’t simply pull men and women from their posts across the Earth Kingdom and expect them to simply reintegrate back into Fire Nation society. This war had spanned generations, whole lineages consisting of only soldiers. They needed a life to return to and Zuko made sure they would have that.

But Gan wasn’t speaking about former soldiers. He was talking about his factory workers - people who’s whole livelihood depended on the factories that employed them. Just as many generations of families lived their lives on the battlefield, so too were many other generations of families who made their living in the factories that manufactured the war. In order for Gan to keep his factory running, and in turn keep the jobs for these people, he was forced to shift his business, which now threatened the livelihood of the Sun Warriors.

How many others in the Fire Nation were in Gan’s position. In Huinan’s position? How had he missed that?

But still, Zuko reasoned, it was no excuse to go after an innocent civilization. He filed this new problem into the back of his mind to address when he returned to the capital. Immediately,  _ before _ another disgruntled factory owner became involved in some suspicious plot that threatened to destroy another culture.

Zuko pulled his glare from Gan to look back to the Governor, one last ditch effort to pull the man back onto his side. “Governor Pravat, I urge you not to act yet,” he begged. “We need to see if what the attacker has to say matches what Aroon told us at the Boiling Rock. We can solve this today.”

Distress flashed across the Governor’s features. Gan’s words and accusations of inactive leadership had been effective.

Pravat looked back to the two men. “I will allow you to question the attacker,” he agreed, addressing the Fire Lord. “However, if we learn nothing new then we will employ our forces to search out the Sun Warriors. Gan is right, we cannot afford to wait for another attack.”

Zuko nodded slowly. It wasn’t ideal, but at least he still had time. Gan looked back towards the Fire Lord, a smug smirk played at the corner of his mouth. Maybe a national incident was worth a fireball or two.

“And Gan,” the Governor continued, “we have some questions for you as well.”

Zuko had expected Pravat’s order for questioning would have wiped that pompous grin off of Gan’s face. He was unsettled, then, to see that the grin remained.


End file.
